In mid-June 2026, hot summer sun, on the voyage of Ship 936, the Naval Academy brought a training delegation to train long-distance sea trips for trainees, combined with studying, researching and visiting officers, soldiers and people on some islands in the Truong Sa special zone (Khanh Hoa province).
When the ship arrived at the anchorage area in Song Tu Tay island area, the working delegation was allowed to visit the island. Each officer and trainee could not help but be moved when meeting officers, soldiers and people on the island.
When the delegation arrived at Song Tu Tay island, everyone took advantage of that very short time to confide in officers and soldiers. In that hurried moment, the working delegation sat and chatted with the soldiers, in a space shaded by green trees.
The conversation became fun, many conversations and cordial visits such as whether the comrades are healthy, how much they miss home, whether any comrades have lovers yet, or whether after being discharged from the army they miss the islands and how to orient their future... With many close, warm, and emotional questions, the soldiers became more open, chatting naturally, simply, and cutely.
Major, Professional Military Soldier Tran Thi Lan, Military Medical Staff, Naval Academy, said: Through exchanges and conversations with officers and soldiers here, although the time is very short, everyone can feel the hardship of officers and soldiers on the island.
When we confided and shared, the soldiers were somewhat shy, but then they also boldly exchanged, expressed their wishes and orientations for the future, stories revolving around life on the island, family circumstances.... A friend from Ninh Hoa said: My family is very hard, the house is sparsely populated, so after completing military service, I will go home to learn a trade to help my family and take care of my parents. A friend from Nghe An expressed: After being discharged from the army, I will choose to study a suitable profession to help my family and become an exemplary citizen in the locality" - Major Tran Thi Lan shared.
Sergeant Pham Quang Long, a soldier on Song Tu Tay island, when asked about the future, immediately replied: "I will be determined to study hard to take the entrance exam to the Political Officer School. After graduating, I want to work at the Navy to return to work and contribute to the islands.
At Son Ca Island, when the delegation of the Naval Academy was entering the island by boat, looking from afar, we saw officers and soldiers preparing to welcome the delegation, when the motorboat docked at the wharf, the bright smiles on the faces with dark skin of officers and soldiers welcomed us, as if welcoming relatives visiting the island.
When taking their first steps on Son Ca Island, each officer and student in the working delegation was moved and surprised by the spaciousness and regularity of the island.
Sergeant Do Minh Tuan (from Vinh Long) confided: "Before enlisting, I graduated from the College of Industry and Trade, Ho Chi Minh City. The time of performing military service on the island gave me many memories. That is the love of comrades and teammates. At this time, I felt the nostalgia for the island, missing my comrades when I was discharged. Later, when I return to my hometown, I will continue the work I studied to help my family and contribute to building a richer and stronger homeland.
It is time for the working delegation to say goodbye to officers and soldiers on the islands to visit. When the hands greeting the delegation leave the port, officers and soldiers on the island continue to day and night perform the task of firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.
